


A Dance with the Bull

by seventhcodex



Series: The Nine [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:21:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29144391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seventhcodex/pseuds/seventhcodex
Summary: Rie asks Ghazan for a dance. Predictably, he refuses.(Un)Luckily for him, Rie has known him long enough to know exactly which buttons to push.Based on a simple writing prompt, "Will you dance with me?"
Relationships: Rie/Ghazan
Series: The Nine [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139030
Kudos: 1





	A Dance with the Bull

"...You want to what?" Ghazan says, but he knows what she's asking. What he means is why.

Rie is quick onto her feet, her hands and shoulders shaking with excitement. "Because it's been so long since we have! Come on Ghaz, just like when we were younger - you never had a problem then!" Rie says, then pouts, forcing indignation in the downward curve of her lips. She closes in on him after another beat, her small hands pressing against his shoulders to shake him, as if she might expect to stimulate a happy nerve or two. Or at least she tries - he's far more grown than the boy she refers to in that moment - and it was like moving an entire mountain by herself. He barely budges. She's lucky he doesn't just throw her across the room, but the longer she acts like an upset child, the more the thought verges upon action.

"When we were younger, I was more a _fool._ " Ghazan supplies quietly, none too impressed by her attempts to sway his favor. "When we were younger, we _had_ time to play like children... Now, we do not. You are a lady proper, and I the cruel instrument of your father's schemes. Let those times stay buried in the past." Ghazan says, doing his best to stay serious when Rie clearly could not. It does not stop her, and he stood no chance in trying. 

Rie at first pretends to be aghast at his words... then begins the most horrid display of swooning ever seen in all the thirteen realms. 

"Oh, you wound me sir! Never have I felt such coldness from a heart I thought so gentle!" She says, with as much exaggeration in her voice as there was in the downward motions of her body. With the back of her dominant hand pressed upon her forehead, she first collapses onto her knees, then her rear, and finally onto her back, whereupon she splays her body against the tatami flooring like she were a victim of a most terrible tragedy. A poor and lonely Hingan maiden, murdered callously and within the confines of her own home, with not single soul to mourn her passing... That was the story she was selling this time, as a woman with a flair for the dramatic, and a great love of the stage and theater. Normally she would be above such petty methods and behavior, but she knew how much second-hand embarrassment it gave Ghazan. 

As Rie writhes in forced agony upon the ground, Ghazan covers his face for one beat; Two. "Fine," he murmurs at last, and begins to push himself off the floor. "We'll have your silly moment, and then you release me to my duties. Unbothered." He says, and averts his gaze towards one corner of the room. At least she won't get the satisfaction of looking him squarely in the eyes as he admits defeat. Small comforts.

She smiles. Works every time. "...Wonderful." Rie says, the anguish now suddenly absent in her tone.

"You are difficult." He replies. Even annoyed, he offers her his hand, so that she might rise up from her own murder scene. She complies, and from the floor rises not a petulant child, but a kinder woman that was worthy of respect, even from Ghazan.

"I am," Rie starts, and for a moment still sounding smug and victorious over the Dotharl. "And I'm told it's part of my charm, much as it is part of yours... I only wonder as to why you have such a problem with my request. Do you loathe our friendship?"

Ghazan freezes, turns, then locks his gaze with hers. "I do not." It was easy for him to admit.

She smiles at that, her hand still in his and gently wrapping around his fingers. "Then it's dancing you despise?" She asks, amused at the thought.

"...Yes," Ghazan sighs, unwilling to admit that he still remembers some of the ballroom positions she taught him many summers ago. "And you know I'm not a good dancer."

She doesn't disagree with him, at least not verbally, and only laughs when she sees how embarrassed Ghazan becomes. "Fine, I will give you that... We'll practice first." She says, but pauses to press herself a little closer to his frame, gazing upwards to meet his eyes with with a thoughtful expression. "First I want you to tell me, what do you think people find beautiful about dancing?" 

Ghazan pauses, breathes quietly. "...Rhythm. Grace. Both things I severely lack." he laughs himself, then appears more focused on finding the correct position of his feet.

Rie only huffs, then pulls him by his hand and his hip into a slow waltz across to the other side of her room. She made sure she was slow and deliberate enough for him to manage, as he tries to remember every step and position of the waltz. Even despite her size, she pulls the towering Dotharl along with relative ease, or maybe Ghazan just wasn't as bad as he thought he was.

"Would you like to hear what I think?" She asks, and he nods, the Dotharl still focused on not tripping over his own feet. "...I think, it's beautiful when two people are brought close into a dance. You come to learn each other's rhythm, and soon you learn to flow gracefully and in-step with each other. But sometimes you fall out of step, other times you simply trip... But the beautiful thing about dancing is how easy it is for you to match each other again. Much like life, whether it's distance or time, you will always find each other."

Ghazan looks down at her, and squints. She and her damn philosophies. He'd be annoyed if it wasn't the very thing he admired most about her; Always searching for ways to teach, reaching for the sides of people that they don't realize exist. She was always good at guiding others, at leading those out of darkness as easily as she leads this clumsy Dotharl through a waltz with only a minimal amount of staggering.

Rie slows down to a halt but doesn't let go of him, instead pressing herself close and hugging him from around his waist. He's caught off guard of course, and while she's likely to get some form of reproach later, he allows her to have that moment, even draping one arm around her shoulders to pull her a fraction closer.

"...But as they say in the west," Rie starts, pulling herself away from the hug. " _It takes two to mango._ " Rie says, speaking in common for a moment. Rie looks proud because she's been practicing, but Ghazan's not sure if the expression is right. He doesn't have the heart to tell her.

She continues, "And you, my dearest friend, need to learn your left foot from your other left foot." 

Ghazan sighs, but smiles because he knows he can't even begin to reprove her in that very moment. She has him completely dialed in. "Then by all means teach me to dance, Lady Shima." Ghazan for but a moment sounds like a courtroom gentleman, addressing her by her title like he did. 

Rie smiles, her victory total and complete. Returning to his hand and hip, she's as delicate and courtly as one would expect of her noble blood. "Then I repeat my request: Ghazan of the Dotharl, slayer of beast and men, eternal warrior of the Steppe..." she says, likely to butter his ego further, so that for once in his damn life, he can settle down, laugh, and have a happy moment.

She's still smiling when she looks up at him. "...Will you dance with me?"


End file.
